Zim minister granted bail in corruption case

Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - A Zimbabwean government minister, arrested for suspected involvement in a US$ 6 million fuel scam, was Tuesday granted bail by the country's High Court.

Energy Minister Elton Mangoma was nabbed last week, accused of illegally awarding a South African company a contract to supply five million litres of fuel.

Police said much of the fuel was never delivered despite full payment for it.

Mangoma, a senior member of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change party in the country's coalition government, denied the charges, which the Premier has said were part of a campaign of harassment of his aides by President Robert Mugabe ahead of an expected poll.

High Court judge Samuel Kudya said the minister was not a flight risk and granted him US$ 5,000 bail with tight conditions, including surrender of his passport.

Police said Mangoma allegedly awarded the South African company a contract without going through tender as required by the law.

His arrest deeply shook the coalition government last week, with Tsvangirai threatening to pull his party out of the joint administration.
-0- PANA RS/BOS 15March2011